[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Rabbit_Killer_Small_5885.jpg]][[caption-width-right:350:[[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail LOOK AT THE BONES!]]]]

->"''That's no ordinary rabbit! That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!''"-->-- '''Tim the Enchanter''', ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''

It's small. It's fluffy. It's ''[[RidiculouslyCuteCritter adorable]]''. And if you get on its bad side, your death will be swift and painful. Beware the cute ones.

Related to but distinct from FluffyTheTerrible, as well as being sort of a subtrope to OurMonstersAreWeird, the Killer Rabbit is any monster that's [[PintsizedPowerhouse far more dangerous than it looks]]. Maybe [[CuteBruiser it's strong for its size]], [[PoisonousPerson poisonous on a massive level]], has flesh-rending pointy bits that aren't readily apparent, or can just [[OneWingedAngel turn into something far more dangerous]]. Either way, it can make a person wary of [[PickOnSomeoneYourOwnSize picking on small, defenseless animals]], much like the OldMaster can make a person more eager to respect their elders. In many cases, the creature isn't even all that harmful unless you actually mess with it, whether intentionally or not.

This trope takes its name from the "Dread Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog" in ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', which seems to be a completely ordinary bunny rabbit, with the notably unusual ability to leap through the air at high speed and tear out people's throats.

This creature is also known as a "[[FanNickname Vorpal Bunny]]", a name which comes from the monster of that name in the original ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}}'' game from 1981, possibly inspired by the Creator/MontyPython movie and is named after "The Vorpal Blade", a fictional sword used to decapitate the title creature in the Creator/LewisCarroll poem "Literature/{{Jabberwocky}}". The name also spread (via ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'') to other games such as ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'' and ''VideoGame/UltimaOnline''.

There's [[TruthInTelevision enough truth behind this]] that one of the first things many children are taught is "don't try to play with any animal until you know it's friendly." (Another lesson, learned later in life by many, sometimes ''too'' late, is: "Animals can become ''un''friendly ''pretty damn fast''.")

Specific types of Killer Rabbits include [[GirlScoutsAreEvil Evil Girl Scouts]] and {{Ridiculously Cute Critter}}s that are [[CuteIsEvil secretly evil]]. ''Civilizations'' that are more dangerous than they look are {{Superweapon Surprise}}s. Killer Rabbits are the most notable subversion of WhatMeasureIsANonCute, which is pervasive enough for everyone to assume that cute animals are friendly.

This trope is pervasive enough that if any of the FiveRaces in games seems to be cute and harmless, they would by definition have to be occasional Killer Rabbits to make them viable to play.

For cases where the Killer Rabbit is a ''literal'' rabbit, see HairRaisingHare.

PsychoPoodle is another subtrope of this.

If it has a scary name, but not a scary demeanor, it's DeathbringerTheAdorable. If it's scary-looking but innocent, it might be a CuteMonster.

Compare: HappyFunBall, BewareTheNiceOnes, PintSizedPowerhouse, TheCatfish, CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass, CuteButCacophonic, BadassAdorable, SuperFunHappyThingOfDoom, and TheNotSoHarmlessPunishment. If the video game character becomes a Killer Rabbit only when you hamper him, then he's SavageSetpiece.

Contrast FakeUltimateMook, which looks menacing but is virtually harmless.

Not to be confused with [[WesternAnimation/WhatsOperaDoc Kill da Wabbit]].----!!Example subpages:

[[folder:Comic Strips]]* ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable''. There was the 'squirrel as a fifth level monster' from the strip "The Most Dangerous (Small) Game". Also llamas in B.A.'s campaign have horns and gore people.* ''ComicStrip/TwistedToyfareTheatre'' usually brings in [[TheScrappy unpopular characters]] in order to gruesomely kill them for a TakeThat. [[StarWars The Ewoks]], however, instead became a race of vicious, psychopathic Killer Rabbits who dismember, kill, and [[ImAHumanitarian eat]] anything that crosses them. Mostly because they '''are''' little carnivores with no regards for intelligent life, ''from the original canon''.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4730390/1/Naruto_Genkyouien Naruto Genkyouien]]'', the Kyuubi no Kitsune is revealed to be the kitsune version of a five year old, named Higashiyama Sayuri. An adorable girl, the youngest daughter of a large family of many sisters and nieces, who wouldn't have become a Kyuubi if it wasn't for [[NoodleIncident Kitsune Poker Night]]. The rampage of destruction and the attack on Konoha? [[CrowningMomentOfFunny She discovered her giant fox form and chased her tails.]] However, she also happens to be really, really good with [[PlayingWithFire fire]]. Meaning she tends to set everything on fire or [[StuffBlowingUp blow them up]]. And then there's the [[KamehameHadoken Pwetty Beam]]... She's still a little girl of course. Just a very powerful one. And clumsy...* In a literal example from the [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/66727/Daneel-Rush same author as Naruto Genkyouien]]. The ''FanFic/TamersForeverSeries'' does a very convincing job of showing [=BlackTerriermon=] to be a far more competent fighter than one would assume given his harmless-looking appearence.** Then there's [[spoiler: the original Terriermon going toe to toe with '''''Daemon''''' during the second to last chapter.]]* In ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' FanFic ''Fanfic/GirlDays'', Nabiki got morphed into a ''literal'' bunny girl during an arc. And she was ''not'' happy about it. She rambled over killing the idiot had turned her into that, and fetched a lot of firearms to do right that. The author even reinforces the trope:-->Here the author inserts an explanation. Most people think of rabbits as cute peaceful creatures-- unless they have read ''Literature/WatershipDown''.-->DOMESTIC rabbits may be that way, but wild rabbits can be quite belligerent, fight ruthlessly, and are pretty tough for something on their link of the food chain.--> And Nabiki, who would normally stay back and say that it's not her problem, was at the moment in full blown berserk wild rabbit mode.** AuthorAppeal: Kenko seems fond of this trope. In another fic of his, ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/380988/1/PARAGON Paragon]]'', Ranma describes rabbits like "Tough critters in the wild, you know, real fighters." * Almost every spinoff of the [[Webcomic/NuzlockeComics Nuzlocke Challenge]] ends up with an adorable, harmless-looking, low-tier Pokemon that dishes out disproportionate amounts of hurt. A classic example is Petty's Butterfree, Lulu, who gleefully curbstomps two of Kanto's Elite Four under her own power.* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5432341/1/The-Black-Bunny The Black Bunny]]'' [[spoiler: Voldemort]]'s animagus form is a fluffy black bunny. * In ''Fanfic/TheLionKingAdventures'', the wild Mambo beasts are [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter deceptively cute critters]] who hunger for animal flesh.-->'''Simba:''' You can't just ''kill'' them. That's way too mean!\\'''Haiba:''' You've gotta be kidding me! They're wild Mambo beasts! They're vicious killers with a hunger for the fleshy... flesh of cubs like us.* ''FanFic/AGrowingAffection'' has Sol, Hinata's preferred familiar. She is a three-foot long albino squirrel. Unlike many of the other ninja animal clans, the squirrels are more trackers, scouts, and messengers than fighters. Sol is an outcast among her (normally black furred) clan because her albinism causes her to stand out. As a result, she is even more timid and apologetic than her contractor. She also helped Hinata [[spoiler:seal the Two-Tails Cat]] (to be fair, her brother, Neji, and Tenten also helped) and when her BerserkButton was pressed went toe-to-toe with an [[spoiler:Impure World Resurrection version of Tayuya.]]* In ''Fanfic/FalloutEquestria'', Angel Bunny becomes this, becoming known as "[=DoomBunny=]" to the Zebras. He even invents and regularly uses Stampede, the equivalent to Slasher.* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6238824/31/The-Sorting-Hat-s-Stand The Sorting Hat's Stand]]'' one of the creatures Harry populates his mindscape with as a defensive measure is a [[http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Vorpal vorpal bunny]].* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9051968/6/Harry-Potter-Unexpected-Animagus Harry Potter, Unexpected Animagus]]'' Luna's animagus form is a Very Carnivorous Rabbit.* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11898648/48/Harry-Potter-and-the-Rune-Stone-Path Harry Potter and the Rune Stone Path]]'' Harry manages to find Luna a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, which turns out to be an adorable, docile sheep-like creature that likes to lick people. During the Final Battle the very same animal kills several members of Voldemort's troops by ''tearing their throats out''.* We never see the battle against it, but in ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'', one of the floor bosses is "Sheeptar the Sheep King," a wall-crawling, acid-spitting nightmare.-->'''Kirito:''' We're still talking about a sheep, right? Not, like, a fluffy [[Franchise/{{Alien}} xenomorph?]]\\'''Asuna:''' ''It's a really stupid boss!''\\'''Kirito:''' Apparently not ''that'' stupid if it killed seven of you...\\'''Asuna:''' (''sigh'') Twelve now, actually.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]* The eponymous critters in the Frank Hayes filk song ''[[http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/mid-ohio-filk/2005-October/000102.html Little Fuzzy Animals]]'' are examples of this trope.* "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh8U5lYbAEY Dogz Don't Kill People (Wabbitz Do)]]" -- courtesy of Mouldie Lookin' Stain, a.k.a. Chris Moyles.* "Chosen Ones" by Music/{{Megadeth}} is all about the killer rabbit from Monty Python.* "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjf2FKlZl9M Kitten Is Angry]]" by Music/LemonDemon* Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters from a Planet near Mars, by Music/WeirdAlYankovic.* "Killa Bunnies" by Moloko is about exactly what it says in the title.* The pink teddy bear in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvTqknDobU music video for "Radioactive"]] by Music/ImagineDragons. It seems like it's getting [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomped]] by the monstrous stuffed gorilla [[ItMakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext like all the other living stuffed toys fighting in the arena]], but then it takes it out in one glowing-energy-punch -- and then destroys two human goons with {{Eye Beam}}s.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]* Valak from the ''Literature/ArsGoetia'' manifests in the form of small, innocent-looking child with wings, yet he is the ''[[PintsizedPowerhouse Grand President of Hell]]''.* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-mi%27raj Al-mi'raj]], from Islamic poetry is a literal version of this. Looks like an ordinary bunny with a large horn. Is a voracious carnivore that will fearlessly kill and ''eat'' creatures several times its size without effort, and vicious and territorial to the point where ''witchcraft'' is the recommended way to deal with one. Bear in mind that [[GodzillaThreshold witchcraft is strictly forbidden in Islam]].* The Jackelope is another quite literal example. It looks like a jack rabbit with a tiny pair of deer antlers but eats the hearts of predators that normally eat rabbits.* GreekMythology had sheep with wool that shined like the sun. They were also [[AscendedToCarnivorism partially carnivorous]] and venomous.[[/folder]]

[[folder:New Media]]* As a general rule, messageboards such as Spacebattles.com generally agree that the sillier a character is, the more dangerous they are because [[RealityWarper they are not bound by the laws of reality]] and able to do things like shrug off nuclear explosions and swallow man-sized creatures whole. If a "wacky cartoon" character appears in Real Life, it would be considered, as an entity above and beyond the laws of physics, an ''EldritchAbomination'' that will shatter all science but simply taking AFormYouAreComfortableWith. As a result, the higher they place on a CoolVersusAwesome combat tier, and folks such as WesternAnimation/BugsBunny and Franchise/{{Kirby}} are described as being able to CurbStompBattle more (relatively) "realistic" characters like {{Space Marine}}s, [[StarWars Jedi]] or [[Franchise/{{Halo}} Master Chief]]. * Not physically dangerous, but the subjects of the website [[http://www.disapprovingrabbits.com/ Disapproving Rabbits]] can cause a severe feeling of inferiority. Especially [[http://www.disapprovingrabbits.com/2008/03/mr-browny-brown.html this one]].[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pinball]]* The Leapers in ''Pinball/ScaredStiff,'' which resemble frogs but sport {{Lamprey Mouth}}s and EatTheCamera when provoked.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Podcasts]]* [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Krypto the Super Dog]] may be a cute white puppy, but as ''Podcast/PlumbingTheDeathStar'' spins it, he's also an invincible, lightning-fast alien monster with the strength of a locomotive and no capacity. If anyone upset him, there'd be no way to calm him down before the amoral hound ripped out their jugular. There's a reason he gets voted the third most horrifying hero ahead of the likes of ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]* Fizgigg from ''Film/TheDarkCrystal''. If a tribble and a bear trap had a baby....* [[WebVideo/MuppetViralVideos "HI, I'M A BUNNY!"]] [[spoiler: This is a subversion. You don't need to be a genius to realize how dangerous Carl is...especially if you fit in his mouth.]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]* In the the radio show ''Radio/OldHarrysGame'', Satan finds the most evil being in the world is a Dolphin. Called Chuckles.* In one episode of ''Radio/APrairieHomeCompanion'', cowboys Dusty and Lefty come across "The Free-Range Chicken", which they then engage, and nearly lose to, in a gunfight.* ''Radio/BleakExpectations'': A pack of under-water squirrles, who are capable of biting arms off, and chase Pip Bin, and his aunt, across the length of Britain for revenge after Pip ate several of them.** Subverted with the killer sloth ("Nature's deadliest and slowest assassin!"), who is expected to violently kill Pip, his sister Pippa and best friend Harry Biscuit... only for it to remain asleep, even with the assistance of coffee. It then gets blown up along with the building it and the protagonists were in.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sports]]* The South Sydney Rabbitohs have won the more premierships than any other UsefulNotes/RugbyLeague team in Australia.* The Pittsburgh Penguins. Penguins are not exactly known for their toughness.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toys]]* The Werebears toys were seemingly adorable teddy bears with reversible heads and paws that would reveal their "nasty" face when turned inside out.* Aurora's Monster Scenes line of model kits featured a very fearsome-looking "sabre tooth rabbit" in a large jar as part of the MadScientistLaboratory kit "Gruesome Goodies."[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]* After playing VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend to completion, Chukar partridges feel like singly terrifying little fluffy heretics.** Thanks to the other characters, the "Bad Boys Love" route, and the sequel ''Holiday Star'', fantail pigeons and ''king quail'' are not far behind on the list of adorable birds that you will fear forever. [[spoiler: Bad Boys Love reveals Yuuya and "Kazuaki" to be murderers, and Holiday Star ultimately reveals what happened to the real [[EldritchAbomination Nanaki Kazuaki]].]]* ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' has the Chiester Sisters, very cute and innocent-looking rabbit girls… who can detect you, lock you on and shoot you dead with absolute precision from a kilometer away. Their arrows are homing and armor-piercing, so hiding is useless.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]* The ''[[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/212095 Bunnykill]]'' web animation series. A liberal exercise in the trope of Killer Rabbitry (and KatanasAreJustBetter).* The ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' short [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mHKHKR8x6A "Crab Battle!"]], where Naked Snake gets his ass handed to him by a Kenyan Mangrove Crab.* ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'' has several small animals that are for some reason vicious. Whistle, the man-eating puppy, a man-eating baby turtle, and a flock of man-eating ducks have all appeared. Plus, well, most of the cast.* This short animated film [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gxrI5CPYIM&feature=related Red]] where Little Red Riding Hood refuses the advances of the wolf (who looks like a [[LittleBitBeastly slightly feral child]] wearing a wolf costume) after spilling the cakes she was going to bring to her grandmother. After leaving brokenhearted, Red encounters a unicorn-horned rabbit, which she hugs (not noticing the [[RevealingHug evil toothed grin it makes]] before mutating into a bear-sized horned monster that was ready to devour Red before the wolf comes back in time to save the day.* Ladies and Gentlemen, meet [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08nV1nbtNAc Puppy Bot]], the friendly, child-sized, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick bulletproof axe murderer]]. And if you survive, be sure to check out the man-eating ponies in his van.* [[WebAnimation/SockSeries Sock]] is an adorable ever-smiling hamster. He is also a demon that destroys an entire city with his army of monsters from hell.* The series ''WebAnimation/TrueTail'' includes a small rabbit girl named Melody the Bard. Not only does she have a lute, she has a whole plethora of [[KnifeNut ninja daggers]]![[/folder]]